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G'day BW,
Yes, the removal of the second control stand (for long hood leading operation) does impose operational constraints.
All QR D suffix (Driver Only Operation) would only have the single control stand.
The second control stand was removed to improve cab conditions for the crew.
And naturally to save maintenance costs.
This imposing a requirement that long hood leading is ONLY permitted for light engine movements or during an emergency.
Rotating the seat sideways to provide rearward view for long hood leading is NOT a desirable facet in my opinion.
Thankfully, the only period of my footplate career where I had to operate a DOO loco occasionally in reverse was down in Tassie.
And, that was ONLY for brief shunting operations within a yard.
Hence slow speed and I had a rail operator on the ground controlling the movement by two way radio.
So, NO rotating of the seat.
I stuck me head out the side window to espy the situation.
I did hafta go LE along the suburban a couple of times to swing locos on the Bridgewater Junction triangle.
When there was only the single DOO unit in the consist of weasels having worked the southbound.
But, that was still performed with the nonDOO loco facing forward and a rail operator rode with me to assist with track vision.
NonDOO locos having limited track view due to the high nose.
I am not sure what you mean by DROPPING the handle.
I presume that you are referring to a Dead Man control ?
Dead Man control is not a facet of many Aussie weasels.
The Vigilance system being the main safety system on weasels.
Hitting emergency with the brake valve can result in the wheels locking up and the loco sliding on wet rails.
The ONLY QR style weasels that I worked were the ones down in Tassie.
Being narrow gauge, the loco weight to centre of gravity is a tad different to what I was accustomed to in NSW.
The stopping distance of any weasel is dependent upon the number of brake blocks per wheel and the maximum Brake Cylinder pressure applied.
Plus, the rail conditions etc.
Most older NSW weasels had two brake blocks applied to each wheel.
More modern weasels only have a single brake block per wheel.
That to reduce the potential lockup in emergency and loco slkidding.
But, it results in the inability of the loco to hold a train stationary on a grade.
The train brakes must also be applied to hold it stationary.
With the max Tassiewegian track speed on the South Line being 60 kph, and there was not much of that, it was generally the down hill sections that posed the big challenge for stopping in a hurry.
Steve.
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